Chapter 6: The Annual Irohama Field Trip
Disclaimer: I own nothing
(((Sunday, Early June)))
It had been more than a month since Izuku and Katsuki reconciled. More than a month since Katsuki made a promise to Izuku; to be the best friend that the green haired boy deserves.
And Katsuki had been making good on his promise.
(((Flashback, Two Weeks Ago)))
It was Saturday at Irohama. Izuku and Katsuki were taking a quick break from their seven essays assignment with a walk around campus. As they were strolling, they were discussing their favorite topic; All Might.
"And remember the "Great Tea Leaf Dilemma?" Izuku asked.
"The Villain with the tea leaf Quirks whose leaves made people's bodies go limp just by smelling them." Katsuki confirmed. "He used his Quirk to put everyone in the grocery store to sleep while he robbed all the cash registers."
"All Might, smashed through the entrance and said 'Your time is up Villain. Why? Because I am Here'." Izuku said while imitating All Might's voice.
"The Villain made tons of leaves, hoping to make All Might go limp." Katsuki continued.
"But All Might blew away all the leaves with just a flick of his finger." Izuku gushed.
"And while the Villain was disoriented from the blast of wind caused by All Might's finger flick…" Katsuki started
"All Might leaped forward and smashed him in the face." Izuku finished.
"And the Villain crashed into the shelf where they kept the tea." Both boys stated simultaneously.
Izuku couldn't have been happier. Not only were he and Katsuki friends again, but as it turned out, they actually had a lot in common.
And the thing they bonded over the most; they both loved to geek out over All Might.
Katsuki was honestly surprised at how many similarities there were between the two of them. Katsuki genuinely lamented the years wasted, focusing on Izuku's Quirklessness and seeing him as a nuisance, when they could have been really good friends the whole time.
"Cadet Midoriya," Katsuki uttered, getting Izuku's attention. "I need to know, how can you just forgive me so easily?"
"What do you mean?" Izuku asked confused.
"I treated you like garbage for years. How can you still consider me a friend?" Katsuki asked.
"What kind of a question is that? I consider us to be friends because we ARE friends." Izuku stated without leaving any room for argument.
"Yeah, we are, aren't we?" Katsuki said with a smile. Not his usual malicious smile, but a genuine smile.
'In the past, I was definitely no Hero. I hurt people instead of helping them. Well not anymore; from now on, I'm gonna help others like a real Hero should. Just like All Might said.' Katsuki decided, his heart full of conviction.
(((Flashback End)))
Katsuki had since been putting his everything into what All Might taught him was the true meaning of being a Hero, helping others.
The rest of his class was more than happy to help Katsuki learn to be a better person.
While Katsuki was changing as a person, Izuku was making strides of his own.
Izuku was no longer dead last in all of Irohama's physical trials. He may have started out the weakest, but he had a drive to improve that surpassed any other student in his class. Don't get the wrong idea though; out of the sixty middle school first years, Izuku had yet to do better than fifty-second place.
In addition to his increased physical ability, Izuku had been making efforts to develop his confidence; an endeavor that Katsuki was a great help with.
The day's seemed to fly by at Irohama. Soon, it came time for a certain school event.
The students of Irohama were on a bus, on their way to their annual school field trip. Full school uniform mandatory, of course.
"Hey, so, what exactly is the deal with this field trip?" Izuku asked Katsuki, who was sitting next to him on the bus.
"Why are you asking me? This is my first time too." Katsuki responded.
"I can answer your question." Said Obito Yarito, a student of class A; his Quirk, 'Debt' forces a person to do a favor for him after he does one for them. He was in the seat behind Katsuki and Izuku, as he looked over the seat in front of him. "Every year, the students of Irohama spend one week at a real military base."
"During our stay there, we'll be serving as aides to the soldiers, and experience real military training." Continued Inagi Fuzuri of class B, his 'Whirlpool' Quirk allows him to create a massive swirling water current around himself. He was sitting next to Obito.
"Wait, wouldn't that violate child labor laws?" Izuku asked.
"Cadet Midoriya is right, the law says we can't work until we're at least fifteen years old, and military service requires you to be at least eighteen." Katsuki added.
"Since this is part of a school field trip, it technically counts, in the eyes of the law, as field trip activities, not labor." Obito answered.
The rest of the bus ride was spent in silence. The whole time, Izuku was wondering how Irohama kept getting away with breaking the law without actually breaking it. 'First that snail documentary, and now this?' Izuku thought.
"So, where exactly is this base?" Katsuki asked.
"We don't know. We go to a different base every year." Inagi answered.
After about another hour, the bus came to a stop in front of a military ground forces base.
Standing in front of the front gate was a man of about fifty-four with a bushy mustache and goatee, and his aqua colored hair tied behind his head. He wore the uniform of a Japanese Ground Forces General. And judging by all the medals on his coat, he was a well decorated one.
After getting off the bus, the sixty students formed ten lines of six.
"Students of Irohama, I welcome you to welcome you to this base. I am General Hyoju Kazekuma of the Japan Ground Self Defense Force. When I see the students of Irohama, I see the future of the Japanese military before me, and I could not be more honored to have you here." The General greeted.
The general stepped back, allowing Sergeant Fuko, who was acting as field trip chaperone, to step forward.
"All students, ATTENTION." Sergeant Fuko shouted.
Every student stood at attention, awaiting their Sergeants announcement.
"You sixty students will be sorted at random into five groups of twelve. Over the course of Monday through Friday, each group will participate in a different one of five stations each day, rotating to the next station the following day." Sergeant Fuko explained.
"Station one - Shoe Shining: Students will work at shoe shining stations and shine the shoes of the military personnel on the base."
"Station two - Artillery Maintenance: Students will learn the practice of disassembly, reassembly, and proper maintenance of firearms.
"Station three - Mountain Hike: Students will go on a 20 kilometer hike in the nearby mountains while carrying a heavy pack."
"Station four - Marching Drills: Students will march in sync and follow the commands of your commanding officer. Part of your education at Irohama was to memorize the standard military marching commands, therefore, should you fail to follow commands properly, then we will not accept excuses."
"Station five - Toothbrush Scrubbing: Students will be cleaning floors and toilets around the base using toothbrushes. Yes we know that it's a cliché and a stereotype, but it still makes for an excellent activity for the field trip." Sergeant Fuko listed.
"Do all of you Cadets understand?" Sergeant Fuko asked.
"Sir, yes sir." All the students responded with a salute.
Sergeant Fuko ordered the students to come forward one by one so they could draw lots out of a hat. Each student took a piece of paper from the hat, each piece with a number, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5. The number they drew would determine which group they were part of.
Izuku and Katsuki both ended up in group 4. Along with them was the class rep., Mikadai Orotaka; along with Shinku Nobumura, Obito Yarito, and Inari Fuzuri.
Along with those six, there were six others in group 4.
The seventh member of group 4 was Cadet Yahiko Byakuran from class C. His Quirk, 'Ball', allows him to roll myself into an armor plated ball that can roll at high speeds."
The eighth member was Cadet Naruji Rokudai, a Quirkless student from class B.
The ninth member was Cadet Wataru Makizo from class B. His Quirk, 'Yo yo', lets him mark a location, then, when he activates his Quirk, his body will be pulled back to the marked location.
Member number ten was Cadet Yuya Hatoroki of class C. His Quirk, 'Blade', grants him the ability to take a flat object, such as a piece of paper or a hand fan, and make said flat object stiff, durable, and razor sharp. The effect only remains as long as he is holding the object.
The eleventh member was Cadet Rosuke Senkoji of class A. His Quirk, 'Cancel', makes it so that anything disadvantageous to him is nullified, regardless of its nature.
The twelfth and final member of group 4 was Cadet Shimoto Hashi, a Quirkless student from class A.
In accordance with daily activity rotation schedule, group 4 would first participate in Station four - Marching Drills on Monday, followed by Station five - Toothbrush Scrubbing on Tuesday, Station one - Shoe Shining on Wednesday, Station two -Artillery Maintenance on Thursday, and finally, Station three - Mountain Hike on Friday.
Afterwards, the students would all return to Irohama on Saturday.
With everyone knowing their schedules for the next week, it was time for the students to head to their temporary barracks, where they would be staying for the next week.
The students found out that they would be staying in five separate barracks, divided by group. In each barracks, waiting for the students, there was a single soldier. These soldiers would serve as the primary chaperones of the field trip and oversee the activities of the different groups.
(((Group 1 Barracks)))
Overseeing group 1 was Private Ogako Kanamu.
Gender: Male
Age: 19
His Quirk; 'Squeeze': He can squeeze his body through incredibly tight spaces.
(((Group 2 Barracks)))
Overseeing group 2 was Private Tomiza Jingetsuchi.
Gender: Female
Age: 20
Her Quirk; 'Reminisce': By touching her forehead to someone else's, she can see up to five minutes of their most recent memories. She requires a ten minute recharge period before using her Quirk again.
(((Group 3 Barracks)))
Overseeing group 3 was Private Ameyori Daifuin.
Gender: Female
Age: 20
She is Quirkless.
(((Group 4 Barracks)))
Overseeing group 4 was Private Samukin Hanonijiro.
Gender: Male
Age: 21
His Quirk; 'Television': He has an HD television screen on his chest. On it, he can play videos of anything that he has seen in the past 100 hours.
(((Group 5 Barracks)))
Overseeing group 5 was Private Ransu Abugaki.
Gender: Male
Age: 20
He is Quirkless.
(((Group 4 Barracks)))
The students of group 4 had just finished introducing themselves to Private Hanonijiro and were unloading the extra Irohama school uniforms they brought with them.
"Hey, Cadet Orotaka, do you know why we were told to only bring our school uniforms and not our gym uniforms?" Izuku asked the class rep..
"That's a good question." Katsuki agreed "Seems like we should've at least brought gym uniforms for the Mountain Hike exercise."
"Soldiers don't always get the opportunity to put on combat gear before going into battle. An activity we do on this field trip, we do in our school uniforms." Mikadai answered.
"Cap included I assume?" Izuku asked.
"Most likely." Mikadai confirmed.
The rest of Sunday was spent the same way Irohama students usually spent their time after curfew. Playing cards and discussing current events. None of the students left their barracks; they didn't want to get lost on a base that they had never been to before.
(((Monday)))
It was the official first day of their one week field trip, and the twelve members of group 4 were standing in four lines of three.
Each student had been given a rifle, unloaded of course, and were awaiting commands from Private Hanonijiro.
"Company Attention!" Private Hanonijiro shouted.
All twelve students stood at attention.
"Present Arm!" Private Hanonijiro order.
All of the students raised their rifles to their chests, the grip in their right hand and the barrel in their left hand.
"Shoulder Arms!" Private Hanonijiro ordered.
Each of the students released their right hands from the grip and placed them on the butt of their respective guns, then raised their guns to over their right shoulders and let the weapons rest.
"Man, it is a lot more fun being on this end." Private Hanonijiro said to himself.
"Company March!" Private Hanonijiro ordered.
The students began marching, only stopping and changing direction when Private Hanonijiro ordered it.
They began at 8 a.m. and continued until noon. At that point, they had stopped for lunch. They began again at 1 p.m. and continued until the scheduled conclusion time of the activity, 5 p.m..
(((Tuesday)))
The students of group 4 were on their hands and knees in one of the bathrooms on the base.
Today's activity was to clean the floors and toilets around the base using toothbrushes.
"These toilets are disgusting." Izuku stated. "What exactly do these soldiers eat?"
"You should feel thankful, Cadet Midoriya. I heard this base has a taco Tuesday. Boy do I feel sorry for the group that has to do this activity tomorrow." Shinku stated, genuinely feeling bad for group 3.
Izuku cringed at that, feeling really grateful that he didn't end up in group 3. However, bringing up the next group caused Izuku to think of something; the previous group.
"Cadet Nobumura, didn't group 5 already do this activity yesterday? How are all the bathrooms and floors around this base still so filthy?" Izuku asked.
"I think they brought in someone whose Quirk has the power to undo the effects of cleaning. Some police detective who uses his Quirk to find what criminals try to hide by cleaning their crime scenes." Shinku answered.
"We would they do that?" Izuku asked in frustration.
"So that every group could experience this activity in full, that's why." Shinku answered.
Izuku sulked, but kept cleaning; not wanting to get a Saturday detention for lack of effort.
(((Wednesday)))
It was the third of their five days on the base. Today, group 4 would be manning the shoe shining station.
Each student was given a brush, a cloth, a container of shoe polish, and an elevated chair where the soldiers could sit while their shoes were being shined.
It seemed to be an easy task. There was just one little hitch.
"Uh… Hey, Cadet Hatoroki, how exactly do you shine shoes?" Izuku asked.
"I actually don't know either?" Katsuki admitted.
"Shoe shining is simple. Just use the brush to clean any dirt and dust off, then apply a small glob of shoe polish to the cloth, and then you use the cloth to rub the polish over the shows. Remember, wrap the cloth around the top of the shoe and pull back and forth from below. Do not push down from above." Yuya explained.
After receiving instructions, Izuku and Katsuki had a fairly easy time with the activity.
"Excuse me, sir, if you don't mind my asking, what's it like to be in the military?" Izuku asked one soldier whose shoes he was shining.
"Oh, are you interested in enlisting when you come of age?" The soldier asked.
"My dream has always been to become a Pro Hero, sir. Unfortunately, I'm Quirkless." Izuku replied.
"And you think joining the military might be your second chance?" The soldiers asked.
Izuku just kept silent. That was all the answer the soldier needed.
"Look kid, if you have a goal, then you should go for it; don't settle for an alternative. True, there has never been a Quirkless Pro Hero before, but there are countless firsts all throughout human history. The first person to fly a plane across the ocean, the first person to climb Mt. Everest, the first person to walk on the moon. Who's to say there can't be a first Quirkless person to become a Hero?" The solder explained.
Izuku looked up the soldier in awe, feeling like he was on the verge of crying tears of joy. Someone actually believed that his dream was possible.
"To answer your question, though; 'What's it like to be in the military?'. To be in the military means that you're willing to give your everything in service to your country. Pro Heroes may be popular with the kids, but at the end of the day, they're just a nonsensical cross between police and circus performers. All they do is stop purse snatching and look flashy while doing it. The military, were the ones who keep the nation as a whole from being obliterated by hostile foreign powers." The soldier explained.
"Wow, way to kill my childhood." Izuku shivered. "Still, I can't deny your dedication."
"I've always been fascinated with the military. Even back when I was your age, I knew that I wanted to become a soldier." The soldier stated. "Plus, it's nothing short of an honor to serve under a renowned officer like General Kazekuma."
"You really seem to admire him." Izuku noted.
"Well of course I do, General Kazekuma IS recognized as the best martial artist in the entirety of the Japanese military. Though, that's mostly thanks to his Quirk." The soldier stated.
"His Quirk?" Izuku asked.
"General Kazekuma's Quirk is called 'Watch And Learn'. After observing a person's bodily movements, he can easily duplicate their movements and learn how to counter them. The more he observes, the more he learns." The soldier replied.
"So amazing." Izuku uttered starry eyed.
"Oh, looks like you're all done, sir." Izuku said, noticing that the soldiers shoes were now fully shined.
"Good talking with you, kid." The soldier said as he got up out of the chair. Before leaving, though, he turned back and gave Izuku some advice. "If you want to enlist, you shouldn't do it because you think it's the next best thing to becoming a Hero; you should only enlist if you can truly see yourself as a soldier, on the frontlines of war, defending all the people back home."
Izuku nodded. "Hm!"
The soldier walked away, leaving Izuku to the next soldier who came to him for a shoeshine.
(((Thursday)))
It was the fourth day of the Irohama students stay on the military base. Today, group 4 stayed in a classroom-like room.
Over the course of the day, they learned about the assembly, disassembly, and proper maintenance of various firearms used by the military.
Hey, they can't all be interesting.
(((Friday)))
It was now Friday, the final day of the field trip and the day of the activity that Izuku had been dreading the most; the 20 kilometer hike through the mountains while carrying a heavy pack.
Izuku was feeling very nervous. He wasn't even sure he could handle carrying a heavy pack 1 kilometer, let alone 20.
Izuku was trembleling a bit, but stopped when he felt a hand grab his shoulder from behind.
Izuku turned to see that the hand belonged to Katsuki.
"Don't worry, Cadet Midoriya. Remember, ours is the last group to do this exercise, and every member of the other four groups all made it." Katsuki reassured.
"The other groups are made up entirely of students who have been enrolled at Irohama since elementary school." Izuku countered.
"We're Irohama middle school students, Cadet Midoriya, just like the rest of our class. I think we can do it." Katsuki replied.
Izuku was surprised that his friend could be so ready to take on this exercise. "Cadet Bakugo, how can you be so confident?" Izuku asked quietly.
"It's not about confidence, Cadet Midoriya. The fact is I've decided that I'm gonna pass this exercise. That means I will make it all the way." Katsuki explained.
Izuku was utterly speechless.
"Cadet Midoriya, the only one who decides whether I can or can't do something is me. I made my decision and I decided that I can. You should make your decision too." Katsuki said before moving on his way.
Izuku was still for a moment, but soon slapped himself in the face with both hands. Izuku, determination in his eyes, made his decision.
About an hour later, the student of group 4 stood in front of the base's front gate and were given their packs.
As Izuku put his pack on he noticed just how heavy it was. About 30 pounds. Roughly half the weight of a standard military pack.
'I guess I should have expected that; we are still middle school students after all.' Izuku thought.
The twelve students began they're trek toward the nearby mountains, Private Hanonijiro leading them.
'It takes the average adult roughly 4 - 4.5 hours to walk 20 kilometers at a moderate pace without stopping. We're just kids and these heavy packs will be weighing us down, we probably won't be stopping for a break, though. All together, I estimate that it will probably take us around 7 - 7.5 hours to complete this exercise.' Izuku thought. 'It's 9 a.m. now, which means that we'll probably be back some time between 4 and 5 p.m., if my math is right.'
(((1 Kilometer Point)))
It had been about half an hour since the students started on their trek.
'So far, so good.' Izuku thought.
Though Izuku was putting on a tough face, he was breathing a little heavier than usual. Katsuki seemed to be breathing a little strongly too.
Izuku noticed the rest of the students didn't seem to be having any problems, though.
'Still about 19 kilometers to go.' Izuku thought soberly. 'But I can make it… No, I WILL make it.'
(((3 Kilometer Point)))
It had been close to two hours since the students began their trek.
'This isn't getting any easier.' Izuku thought. 'Our school uniforms aren't made for this kind of thing. On top of that, the sun is getting high into the sky, making it warmer. Our school uniforms have long sleeves, and they're dark colored. Dark colored clothing absorbs sunlight, increasing our body temperature.'
Izuku was really starting to feel his muscles ache on top of overheating.
Izuku quickly shook his head. 'No, no, no! I made my choice; just like Kaachan said. I can do this and I will.'
(((5 Kilometer Point)))
It was roughly four and a half hours after the students began their trek.
The students had been gradually slowing down, which was not surprising, considering all that was working against them.
They were wearing clothing that was not appropriate for such an activity.
They're clothing was dark colored and long sleeved as the sun was high and heating things up, in the month of June no less.
Not to mention the heavy packs that the students were carrying on their backs.
Even the best student among them, the class representative, Mikadai Orotaka, was beginning to look like the exercise was getting to him.
The only thing that was in their favor was their combat boots, and that wasn't much of a benefit either.
(((8 Kilometer Point)))
It was shuts over six hours since the students began their trek.
'I can't believe they didn't let us bring our P.E. uniforms. At this rate, we might not even make it back by midnight.' Izuku thought.
(((10 Kilometer Point)))
It was seven and a half hours since the students began their trek.
They had reached the halfway point. And since they started, not once had they been given a break.
'I thought we'd have been at least most of the way done by now; instead, we're only halfway there.' Izuku thought. 'I wish I had been paying attention to how long it had taken the other groups to get back to the base.'
"Hey, everyone!" Private Hanonijiro shouted. "This is taking longer than I thought it would. Let's pick up the pace a bit."
Private Hanonijiro started running, and the students, despite their exhaustion, replied "Yes sir." and began running after their overseer.
Meanwhile, every one of the students was thinking 'Easy for you to say; you're wearing appropriate gear.'
(((12 Kilometer Point)))
It had been eight and a half hours since the students began their trek.
'We haven't turned around.' Izuku noted. 'I knew that we would either turn around or go in a great big circle. I guess it's the latter.'
Trivial thinking was the only thing keeping Izuku for acknowledging just how exhausted he truly was. If not for that, he probably would have collapsed already.
(((15 Kilometer Point)))
It had been nearly ten hours since the students began.
'I can do this. I can do this. I'm already three quarters of the way there.' Izuku thought.
(((18 Kilometer Point)))
It had been nearly twelve hours since the students began, and they still had not had any breaks.
The students were hungry, thirsty, exhausted, and they all had to use the bathroom.
They all looked like they were about ready to die.
(((20 Kilometer Point)))
Finally, thirteen and a half hours after they started, they made it back to the base. The time was now 10:30 p.m., a good hour later than the students' usual bedtime.
Once Private Hanonijiro announced that the exercise had been completed, Izuku let go.
The green haired boy fell to his knees before collapsing on the ground completely, falling unconscious. To make matters worse, upon losing consciousness, Izuku lost control of his bladder, causing the crotch of his pants to turn darker.
Katsuki wasn't in much better shape. He managed to stay conscious and in control of his bodily functions, however, that didn't stop him from collapsing, leaving him limp on the ground.
The rest of the students, even Mikadai, while faring better than Izuku and Katsuki, were definitely showing signs of severe exhaustion. Some fell on their butts; others fell to their hands and knees.
(((Saturday)))
It was finally time to board the bus and return to Irohama, the week long field trip now over.
Before boarding the bus, though, the students stood in line, just as they had when they first arrived. The students listed as General Kazekuma gave them a farewell speech.
"I hope everyone had an enjoyable and informative stay. Some of you Irohama students will likely return to this base again someday. Only next time, you won't be students on a field trip, but rather, you'll be soldiers, ready to dedicate your strength, your lives, and your hearts to the service of your country. I would be honored to have any of you fine young men under my command. And who knows; someday, someone among you may even go on to become a General and take my place as base commander." General Kazekuma spoke.
The students then boarded the bus and returned to military school.
The part where Izuku wets his pants; I know, I already did that bit with Katsuki, but I thought I might be able to get away with using it again.
I understand if you criticize me for it, but the fact is it's a funny thing and I feel like I shouldn't have to apologize for reusing it.
Regarding the time it took for the Mountain hike, I just made those numbers up. If you have a more accurate estimate, then please tell me.
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